The IRB will bring charges of misconduct against Saru after the Boks’ wore white arm bands against the Lions at Ellis Park.

The players were protesting the two-week ban given to Bakkies Botha who, according to the judicial officer, dangerously charged into a ruck without binding during the second Test at Loftus. The Boks believed Botha was victimised, pointing to several similar incidents in the game that went unpunished.

The white arm bands, that were also worn by Bok management, had ‘JUSTICE 4′ written on them with a black marker pen.

In a press release on Monday evening, the IRB said it ‘takes the view that such an act demonstrates a clear disregard of the disciplinary process and does so in a manner which brings, or has the potential to bring, the game into disrepute.’

Saru responded with a statement of its own, saying ‘it would allow the process to take its course. No further comment will be made until the judicial process has run its course’.